Coach: Surgery on Dante Love went well

INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Ball State Cardinals Coach Brady Hoke says a five-hour surgery on wide receiver Dante Love to repair neck and spinal injuries went well in Indianapolis.

Hoke said Methodist Hospital doctors were pleased with their efforts to stabilize a cervical spine fracture Love sustained during his team's 42-20 win over Indiana, the Muncie (Ind.) Star Press reported Monday.

"Everything went as the doctors thought, and even a little better," Hoke said regarding Sunday's operation. "At this point, the biggest thing was just to relieve pressure and all that stuff on the spinal cord."

The on-field incident Saturday occurred after Love caught a pass from quarterback Nate Davis and collided head-on with Indiana defender Chris Adkins. Love was knocked unconscious and fumbled the ball.

While Love temporarily lost all feeling in his legs, he has since recovered all movement in his lower extremities.

Hoke told the Star Press that while the wide receiver has shown no additional signs of potential paralysis, he was informed that he likely would never be able to play football again.